The Ukrainian government has called for a thorough probe by five nations that have suffered the deaths of its people in last week's shootdown of a Ukrainian commercial airliner.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko will fly to London on Thursday to meet with his British, Swedish, Canadian and Afghani counterparts after Tehran - following days of denial over the plane tragedy - admitted it launched missiles "unintentionally" that took down Ukraine Flight 752 and killed everyone onboard.
Ukrianian officials disclosed that Iran may not likely take part in the investigation. In an interview with media in Singapore, Prystaiko said they will focus on Iran "domestically and jointly."
The foreign minister stressed that the government will go to the "very bottom of the tragedy" and have those accountable brought to justice.
But despite efforts to form a criminal investigation committee, Prystaiko said that so far, they don't have Iran at the table." Furthermore, German officials might participate in the proceedings, as some victims had dual German-Afghan citizenship, Prystaiko bared.
The Ukrainian commercial jet suddenly stopped transmitting its course and crashed minutes after takeoff. The shootdown took place moments after Iran started pummeling Iraqi bases with dozens of short-range ballistic missiles. No casualty from the Iraqi and US side was reported.
Prystaiko noted that his opposite number in Tehran on the day of the tragedy did not give away what actually transpired, with unconfirmed reports citing mechanical error as the reason behind the crash.
Meanwhile, Tehran's security forces said that a number of people linked to the plane's shooting have been arrested.
In a live television broadcast, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he will investigate this matter and use everything at his disposal to bring justice to the victims. This is not an "ordinary situation," he said, and that the entire world will be watching.
As he welcomes the development, Prystaiko said he is cautious and wants to see the "responsible people" face the full force of the law -- echoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's demands for swift justice.
Notwithstanding Iran's recognition of accountability, Ukraine is seeking for a thorough investigation using data taken from the black box that Prystaiko asserts should be in their possession.
Tehran's admission of accountability has triggered massive unrest in the country and other parts of the world. Prystaiko emphasized that the protests should not affect the investigation, as he expects full cooperation from concerned parties regardless of mounting political pressure.
